I just want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. By the grace of God, we made it through Katrina unharmed... we only lost power for about 5 minutes and the lights came right back on! But unfortunately so many others here in Birmingham and surrounding areas are not so lucky; the 200,000 + will be without power for a while. My thoughts and prayers go out to others on the Gulf Coast that were not so lucky.

I wake up this morning and even though they have sustained a great deal of catastrophic damage, I'm glad to see Nawlins' (New Orleans) still on the map! I prefer my hurricane in a styrofoam cup walking down Bourbon Street. According to the storm tracker, Katrina may be coming our way late tonight.

Had to make a shrug for my little one who is 8 yrs old. The body was done as a basic shrug in a rectangle/sewed the sleeves/crocheted around the opening to create the lacy pattern for the back, front and shawl collar/added eye-hook for closure.

This one of this week's projects. It's another shrug I've done and decided to call it "Autumn Leaves" because that's what the colors of the yarn remind me of. This was done in Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair - Safari.

Today I've been reading postings from several crochet groups and communities regarding copyright infringement. Now, I don't know a lot about the topic but it doesn't take a J.D. (juris doctorate) to know right from wrong. It's pretty black & white: if ain't yours, don't claim it! Just that simple. On this blog I have made references to the fact that I have used published patterns as "inspiration" and altered them for my on satisfaction and not for personal gain... I just want to look cute! But I have never scanned, copied, or emailed a pattern that I have purchase to anyone! First of all, I don't think I'm that nice. If I paid for you, you can pay for it too! Check out this link below from a conversation in a Live Journal crochet community regarding members of a yahoo! crochet group:

Honestly, a single pattern only cost, at the most $8.00. Honey, if that will put you in the poorhouse, let the hobby go! Look, it doesn't matter if you are going through a divorce, disabled or whatever, stealing is just plain WRONG and I don't feel sorry for you!

Another issue that was addressed is aspiring designers (I'm being generous by using the word designer) are emailing out copies of their patterns for testing. It appears that these patterns are being shared. That's just low-down and dirty to that.

Of course I would like to be a published designer one day. I know that I still have a lot of learning to do. I buy patterns and crochet books to learn techniques, primarily shaping.

Now for the nastiness:

For all of you "designers" out there, only a few of you are worth your hooks! Everyone does not steal, I don't have to, I have my own vision. If I'm going to knock off a designer it would be Alice Temperley or Missioni Knits, not your fugly afghans, out-of-style ponchos, or doilies my grandmother wouldn't even display in her house.

Crocheters are becoming the butt of many jokes throughout the internet. Honestly, is it really that deep?

After I make this comment, I'm pretty sure the crap will hit the fan: if you are so afraid that your precious patterns will be fraudulently distributed, don't sell them! Why don't you sell the finished product? Or do you think your work is not good enough?

This is fresh off my hook. This started out a shrug for me, but my 13 yr old daughter saw it and had to have it. She proceeded to tell me that "all the other girls" are wearing shrugs to school but theirs are store bought and not made by mommy. Okay, I was suckered into giving it to her. I have to admit, she looked really cute this morning standing at the bus stop so I had to take these pictures and post them.

In the August 14th edition of the New York Times - On The Street, the author describes the popularity of crochet. I'm so glad that I am handy with the hook and I don't have to pay the thousands of dollars to retailers to have this look.

I haven't posted in several days. Been really busy getting the kids back to school. Now I have the peace and quiet I need to concentrated on crochet. These are a couple of his & her caps that I made for my husband and I. I did each one of these in like 2 hours, they were really easy so I'll be doing plenty more of these!

This project was somewhat of an experiment. My daughter wanted a shrug and I decided to try my hand at it. This was done totally without a pattern. It took my only a day. This was done in TLC Amore - Sand #3005.

In Edinburg, Texas, a man pleads "no contest" to sexually assaulting a girl. In the past he has done crochet work for charities and the judge thought that to be a befitting punishment for his crime. He was sentenced to 320 hours of crocheting. Let's be serious, he lives in "Hang-Em High" Texas! What is up with the judge? Is he encouraging sex offenders or is crochet supposedly that awful?

Now, I am all about crocheted fashions. I take a lot of pride in wearing garments created by my own two little hands. But the dreaded "poncho" is one item that will never be crafted by the hands of this crocheting diva! To ensure this fact, I have taken the "No-Poncho Pledge":

"I Erica B. swear on the head and/or the grave of my sainted granny to never wear, buy, knit, crochet, or fashion from the old throw rug, the poncho. And if the poncho it is given to me as the gift, I will graciously thank the giver and then, when she has left, put the poncho into the dog's bed and/or the trash as the case she may be. Only by doing these things faithfully can I help end for the good of the humanity the scourge that is the poncho. So help me Erica B."

Recently, I have discovered international crochet sites. Honestly, I am considering becoming multi-lingual! Here are a few of my favorite international sites. Oh, by the way, you may want to use Babelfish or the Norwegian to English translator to translate.

I've been really busy lately... I've had to register three kids at three different schools, plus my own school work. Wow, the life of a SAHM! But I always make time for my hook! This is where I am so far on the multi-color skirt. I'm using Coats and Clark Red Heart in #312-Black, #400-Heather Grey and #316 Soft White.